Copyright: Copyright ©1996 by Tea Time Software
Citation: Copyright ©1996 by Tea Time Software


A Different Kind of Typing Tutor

There are a number of typing tutor programs on the market.  Type Now! is different for several reasons.

Type Now! features the exclusive use of games to master touch typing.  Learning to type requires lots of drills, or doing certain things over and over until they become second nature.  This can get pretty boring, so Type Now! uses games to make drill a lot more interesting and fun.  In addition, the games in Type Now! do not require a lot of learning to play.  They are kept simple to keep the emphasis on learning to type.  On the other hand, the games are amusing enough to keep your interest.  They feature animation and scoring like many other arcade-style games.  For a description of these games, see Learning to Type with Type Now!

Another feature that sets Type Now! apart from other PC typing tutors is its size and design.  Type Now! doesn't cram a lot of flashy graphics and annoying sounds.  It's lean and mean, tightly written with only modest memory requirements.

Type Now! also provides practice with the numeric keypad (Level 14), and lets you add your own word lists for typing practice (Level 16).

As for price--Type Now! is ten bucks.  That's it.  $10.  Typing tutors in stores average between $40-$60.  They cost more because of marketing, advertising, and production costs associated with big companies.  Type Now! is produced by Tea Time Software, a family company that eliminates most overhead by distributing its products as shareware via online services like America Online, the internet, shareware catalogs, and shareware collections on CDs.  The shareware approach lets you install and use the program first, to be sure it meets your needs.  (See the Shareware License Agreement.)  Only then are you obliged to submit the modest registration fee.  Like most other shareware programs, Type Now! has some features disabled as an incentive to encourage registration.  There's nothing underhanded about it--shareware authors deserve payment for their products as well as their commerical counterparts.  These incentives bring in the cash that guarantees more quality programs to compete with higher-priced commerical offerings.  This, in turn, encourages commerical companies to keep their prices low, so you, the software consumer, are the ultimate winner.

Want to see what other programs we offer?  Click here or visit our World Wide Web site at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jkretschmer.


Adding Your Own Word Lists

Level 16 of allows you to add your own list of phrases and/or sentences to use with Type Now!  (This level is disabled in the shareware version.  To find out how to register, see Registering Your Copy of Type Now!)  Type Now! comes with a default list of phrases for Level 16, phrases and expressions commonly used in business offices.  In your personal life or on the job, however, you may have a number of words or phrases that are used frequently.  The following instructions will show you how to add your own list of words or phrases which you can use by selecting Level 16.

The words/phrases for Level 16 are kept in a file in the TYPENOW directory (folder in Win95) in a file called LEVEL16.TXT.  Here's what you do:

(1)  Start the File Manager (or Explorer in Win95).  Find the LEVEL16.TXT file and click on it to highlight it.

(2)  Open the File menu, then select the Rename option.  Rename the file as BUSINESS.TXT.  This makes a backup copy of the original list.  If you want to use it again, just rename it back to LEVEL16.TXT.

(3)  Start the Windows Notepad.  Type in your own word/phrase list.  There are some rules that need to be followed:

     [a]  Each word or phrase on the list must be on its own line.  (Press Enter to insert a "carriage return" after each word or phrase.)

     [b]  You must have exactly 50 words/phrases--no more, no less.  If you don't have 50 words or phrases, just repeat some of them.  If you have many more than 50, then you can make two or more lists.

     [c]  Phrases cannot be more than 40 characters in length (including spaces).

(4)  Save the file with as LEVEL16.TXT.  Be sure to save it to the TYPENOW directory (folder)!

(5)  You can now play Type Now! with your new word/phrase list by selecting Level 16.

You can have as many alternate word lists as you want, but only one can be named LEVEL16.TXT at one time.  Those of you who are experienced with computers and file formats may realize that any of the .TXT files in Type Now! could be changed or replaced with lists of your own.  This is not encouraged.  The words/phrases in Levels 1-15 have been painstakingly selected to provide practice with new keys and review of recently learned keys.  Replacing them defeats the purpose of the program.


Contents
 Type Now! Help

Click on a topic...

A Different Kind of Typing Tutor

Type Now!'s Menus and Controls

Learning to Type with Type Now!

Playing the Single Letter Game

Playing the Phrase/Sentence Game

Adding Your Own Word Lists

Installing and Removing Type Now!

Registering Your Copy of Type Now!

Other Tea Time Software Products

Shareware License Agreement

Site Licensing for Schools and Other Institutions


Installing and Removing Type Now!

Installing Type Now! on Your Hard Drive

I have always thought it was rather silly to put instructions for installation in an online help file, which, of course, cannot be accessed unless the software has already been installed.  But there are occasions when it can be useful, such as telling others how to install Type Now!, reinstalling it on a new computer, and so on.  You might want to print this topic for future reference.  (Click on File, then Print Topic, or just click on the Print button in Win95.)

The process is very simple.  If you have downloaded the shareware version from a bulletin board or other online service, instructions are in the readme file, which is contained in the TNOW10.ZIP file:

(1)  Using PKUNZIP or other unzipping program, extract the files from TNOW10.ZIP to a place on your hard drive, such as a temporary directory.

(2)  From the Windows Program Manager, select File, then Run.  (In Windows 95, click on the Start button, then select Run.)  Browse for SETUP.EXE in the directory where you unzipped the TNOW10.ZIP files.  Follow the directions as they appear.

(3)  When installation is complete, Type Now! will be placed in a Program Manager group called "Tea Time."  Of course, you can move Type Now! to any other group by simply dragging the icon, then delete the Tea Time group if you wish.

(4)  Delete the temporary directory you created in Step 1 to save disk space.

Removing Type Now! from Your Computer

All that is required to remove Type Now! from your hard drive is to erase the TYPENOW subdirectory and all the files in it.  Type Now! does not create .INI files or alter any of your PC's system files.  Thus you do not need to use special "uninstalling" software to remove it.

The following steps will completely remove Type Now!:

(1)  Bring up the Windows File Manager (or Windows 95 Explorer).

(2)  Locate the TYPENOW subdirectory and click on it to highlight it.

(3)  Press the Delete key.  You will be prompted to make sure this is what you want to do.  Just click OK or YES.  Type Now! is now removed from your hard drive.

(4)  In Windows 3.1, exit the File Manager.  You will still have to remove the Tea Time program group and the Type Now! icon inside it.  Just highlight them, then select File, then Delete, just as before.


Learning to type with Type Now!

If you've ever watched anyone touch type, you know it can be a humbling experience for someone who still uses the "hunt and peck" method.  All you see is a blur of fingers and a steady stream of words appearing on the screen.  There's nothing magic about it, however.  It's simply a matter of learning a few simple techniques, then practice, practice, practice!  Don't believe claims of other typing programs that you can be typing like a pro after an hour or two.  Learning to touch type will take an hour or so a day for at least two to three weeks.  Of course, you can cut down this time by putting in more hours per day.  How fast you will progress depends on your stamina and determination.  There is one basic (and almost universally accepted) approach to learning to type called the "home row" method.  For a detailed discussion, see Basic Concepts of Touch Typing.

Type Now! adds two keys at a time after mastering the home row keys.  Each time keys are added, you advance a "level" in the Type Now! games.  The first two levels are the left and right home row keys.  Type Now! not only covers all the alphabetic keys, but also has levels for mastery of the number row and numeric keypad, as well as general practice on all keys for maintaining and increasing speed.  Level 16 also lets you add your own word lists!

There are two types of drill needed to master touch typing.  First, there are single letter drills.  In these practice sessions, you type one letter at a time as it is presented.  This helps you master the positions of individual keys on the keyboard.  For this type of drill Type Now! uses a horse racing game where each correctly typed letter advances your horse down the track, racing against another horse that the computer controls.  The second type of practice involves phrase/sentence drills.  After you have mastered single keys at a level, you need to practice typing these letters in phrases or sentences, since this is more typical of actual typing tasks such as letters, reports, etc.  Phrase/Sentence practice takes the form of a "chase" game, where you are a tiny fish trying to avoid becoming a much larger fish's lunch!

To learn how to play each of these games, see Playing the Single Letter Game and Playing the Phrase/Sentence Game.


Other Tea Time Products

Tea Time Software offers programs for both DOS and MS Windows environments:

Windows Programs:

Wordtrix for Windows, Version 2.1, is a set of four fun games that your kids will love playing, not even realizing that they are learning basic phonics skills to help them learn to read and spell over 220 words, and to decipher thousands more!  One of the best things about Wordtrix! is that it is easy to use--there are no menus; everything is accessed by clicking on buttons, so kids can get started right away! The registered version is $19, plus $2 S&H.  Wordtrix is available on CompuServe (go Edforum, search for wordrix.zip) and on America Online (search for wdtx21.zip). It is also included on several shareware CD-ROMs (ASP, JCSM, ESC and others).

PCWallet, Version 1.5, is an electronic place to put all that information you ordinarily keep in your wallet such as phone numbers, addresses, credit card numbers--any other type of information. All information is protected by data encryption and personal password. PCWallet also has a calendar and handy calculator. On the Options page, you can customize PCWallet by changing the titles of the tabbed pages, changing the font and font size, and changing your password.  PCWallet is a steal--only a $5 registration fee!  PCWallet is available on CompuServe (GO PCAPP, search for wallet.zip) and on America Online (search for wallet15.zip). It is also included on several shareware CD-ROMs (ASP, JCSM and others).

...and, of course, Type Now!, Version 1.0.

DOS Programs:

Wordtrix! Version 1.5, is the predecessor of Wordtrix for Windows.  It has three games and three skills levels, and over 100 words and pictures.  It is also available as wdtx15.zip on most BBSs and online services.

Type Trek, Version 2.0, is a typing tutor in a space arcade game format.  You rid the galaxy of nasty robot invaders by typing "code words" to destroy them.  Unlike Type Now!, Type Trek is a rather elaborate game that has many options and activities, such as discovering friendly aliens and conversing with them.  Like Wordtrix, it is also available as on BBSs and online services, as ttkv20.zip.


Playing the Phrase/Sentence Game

After you have mastered single keys at a level, you need to practice typing these letters in phrases or sentences, as you would in real-life typing situations.  Phrase/Sentence practice takes the form of a "chase" game, where you are a tiny fish trying to avoid being eaten by a larger fish.

Select the Phrase/Sentence game (and the appropriate typing and difficulty levels), then click on Start.  A phrase or sentence appears above the typing area.  The words [image] appear in the "water."  This gives you time to get ready.  As soon as you type the first letter, two fish appear and the chase is on!  The the big fish moves at a steady speed, depending on what level of difficulty you chose.  Select the Easy level at first--it will be challenge enough while you are first learning.  When you can evade your pursuer easily, move up to the Medium level.  Like the Single Letter game, the Hard level is for speed demons only!  The little fish (you!) moves each time you type a letter, so the faster you type, the faster your escape speed.  Once you complete the phrase or sentence, you must press the Enter key to get another phrase or sentence.  Each letter successfully typed without getting eaten adds a point to your score.  If you type fast enough, you can "lap" the big fish and bite him on the tail.  This will earn you 100 bonus points!

But don't think you can escape disaster by typing random letters!  That may work for a while, but when you press Enter, Type Now! will check your typing for accuracy.  If what you typed isn't an exact copy (including case of each letter) of what you were supposed to type, the dialog box at the right will appear, showing your "typo" or typing mistake.  You aren't penalized with a score reduction or anything like that, but during the time the box appears, and the time it takes for you to click on the OK button, Mr. Meanie Fish is moving ever closer to you--a typo could cost you a fishy life if you're not careful!

When you can type comfortably in the phrase/sentence game (winning consistently at the Medium level), then you can move on to the next higher level.  The suggested procedure for each level is:

     (1)  Read the tutorial for the level you are starting.

          (Click on Menu, then Tutor, or press F1).

     (2)  Play the single-letter game until proficient.

     (3)  Play the phrase/sentence game until proficient.


Playing the Single Letter Game

To learn to type, your fingers need to memorize the positions of each key.  Practice with single letters helps your fingers "learn" the muscle movements to reach each key quickly, without having to "hunt" or even look at the keyboard.  This is why you should start each new level by playing the Single Letter Game.

If you have selected "Single Letter Game" in the Start box, as soon as you click OK, the area above the Type Now! keyboard changes to a white "racing field," and two horses appear.  The top horse is yours, and has a letter in front of its nose.  The race starts when you type the letter.  Your horse moves and another letter appears.  Your horse only moves when you type the letter that is in front of its nose.  The other horse moves according to a timer, whether you type or not, so your goal is to move your horse to the right end of the racing field before the computer's horse.  If you get there first, you win money!  The amount depends on the difficulty level.  Easy races pay off at $50 each.  Medium level pays $100 per win, and Hard level pays $500.  (Hard is very hard.  This level is only for those who love to be challenged.)

There is no fixed requirement for how many "races" you need to complete before moving on to the Phrase/Sentence game.  You'll have to judge for yourself how comfortable you feel with the new keys.  If you move to phrase/sentence mode too soon, it's no big deal--just go back and play the single letter game some more until you feel like trying it again.  As a general rule, you should be able to win pretty consistently at the Medium difficulty level before you move on.


Registering Your Copy of Type Now
Registering your copy of Type Now!

Type Now! is shareware, a program that is freely distributed for your evaluation.  This gives you an ample opportunity to evaluate the software and decide if you would like to purchase it.  To register your copy, follow the instructions below.  When your payment is received, you will be sent a registration number.  This will convert your shareware version to a registered version.  The "Type Now! is shareware..." box will no longer appear when you start the program, and the remaining eight typing levels (9-16) will be enabled.  As a registered user, you will also receive notification of updates and news of other Tea Time Software product releases.

To register your  copy, fill out the following form and send it with US$10.  (That's right--it's only ten bucks--and there's no shipping charge!)  Send check, cash, or money order to the address on the form below.  To print the form, make sure your printer is online, then click on File on the menu bar, then select the Print Topic option.

Type Now! 1.0 Registration Form

NAME______________________________________________

ADDRESS__________________________________________

___________________________________________________

CITY_______________________________________________

STATE_________________________     ZIP_______________

COUNTRY_________________  (if outside the USA)

Send this form to:

Tea Time Software

92 Acorn Circle

Oxford OH 45056

USA

__ Check here if you have an email address and would like to have your registration

number sent via email (faster!).  Email address: ________________________________

Where did you get this copy of Type Now!?

Other comments:


Site Licensing for Schools and Other Institutions

Schools and other institutions with multiple computers may find it more economical to purchase a site license.  A site license is an agreement in which Tea Time Software grants a school or institution permission to make multiple copies of Type Now! for use on a certain number of personal computers.  The site license fee represents a substantial discount, as opposed to registering each individual copy of the software.

Registration for a single-user copy of Type Now! is US$10.  Site license registration fees are shown in the chart below:

Number of Copies	Fee per Copy	Discount
5 - 30	$ 6.00	40%
31 - 70	$ 5.00	50%
71 - 120	$ 3.00	70%
Over 120:  Call Tea Time Software

Rates are the same whether or not the PCs are networked.  As part of the site license agreement, the school or institution must agree not to distribute copies of the registered version of Type Now! outside the school premises.  The school or institution may distribute the shareware version, however, and is encouraged to do so.

For more information regarding site licensing, contact Tea Time Software at 92 Acorn Circle, Oxford OH 45056, e-mail at JoeKretsch@aol.com, or call (513) 523-3830 after 6PM EST or EDT.


The Shareware License Agreement
Shareware License Agreement

Upon receipt and installation of the shareware version of this program, you are granted a "Shareware License."  What this means is that you are free to use the software for a period of 30 days in order to evaluate it, that is, to decide if it meets your needs.  At the end of the evaluation period, the "Shareware License" expires and you are obligated to (1) register the program by sending the registration fee to Tea Time Software, or (2) erase the software from your computer.

Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below.  Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality.  (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!)  The main difference is in the method of distribution.  The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group.  For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware.

Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software.  You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware.  The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy.  And because the overhead is low, prices are low also.  Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee--if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.

Disclaimer and Agreement

Users of Type Now! must accept this disclaimer of warranty:

     "Type Now! is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose.  The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of this program."

Type Now! is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation.  Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. If you continue to use Type Now! after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment to Tea Time Software.  This registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time, unless the program has been site licensed for use on multiple computers.

Anyone distributing Type Now! for any kind of remuneration must first contact Tea Time Software for authorization.   This is automatically granted to distributors recognized by the Association of Shareware Professionals as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering Type Now! immediately.  (However, Tea Time Software must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version.)

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP).  ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.

If you have any problems or questions about Type Now! or any Tea Time Software product, please contact Joe Kretschmer at 92 Acorn Circle, Oxford OH 45056, or via CompuServe at 71020,1350, on America Online by addressing e-mail to JoeKretsch, or on the Internet at JoeKretsch@aol.com.  (Also on the World Wide Web at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jkretschmer.)

Technical support is available for all Tea Time products for a full year after the software is registered.

Copyright 1996 by Tea Time Software


Type Now!'s Menus and Controls

Type Now! has a main menu and other dialog boxes and buttons.

The the Menu button and the Start button are at the bottom left of the Type Now! window.  Clicking on the Menu button, brings up a box with six buttons:  Exit, Help, Tutor, Info, Top 2 and Cancel.

Clicking on the Exit button closes the program and returns you to the Windows desktop.  The Help button opens the help file you are reading now.  The Tutor button opens a special help file that has general lessons and tips for each typing level.  You can also access this file by pressing F1 at any time during the game.  The Info button is for registration information.  It is the place where you enter your registration number to convert your shareware version to a registered version.  The Top 2 button displays high scores and names for the single-letter and phrase/sentence games.  The Cancel button makes the Menu box disappear, but does not exit the Type Now! program.

The Start button opens a box where you select a game, typing level and difficulty level.  You make a selection by simply clicking on it.  The "radio button" will be marked with a black dot.  You need to select a typing level, a game, and a difficulty level before you can start playing.  Once you have made your selections, clicking on the OK button will start the game.  The Start dialog box will retain your selections as long as Type Now! is running.  The Cancel button closes the game/level selection box.

If you beat the current high score on either game, a dialog box will appear where you can enter your name as the new champion.  Just type in your name and press Enter, and it will appear whenever someone clicks on the Top 2 button.  (Until it gets replaced, of course.)

Other dialogs and button controls appear at various points in the games.